NEXT TO NORMAL to receive UK-wide cinema release
Marc Brenner
Following celebrated seasons at London’s Donmar Warehouse and Wyndham’s Theatre under the direction of Michael Longhurst, Tom Kitt (Music) and Brian Yorkey’s (Book and Lyrics) powerful and emotionally charged rock musical Next To Normal is set to receive a UK screening across select Vue, Cineworld and Independent Cinema screens this autumn.
Nominated in the UK for four Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical, Next To Normal is an intimate exploration of family and illness, loss and grief. At its heart is Diana Goodman, a suburban wife and mother living with bipolar disorder and haunted by her past.
When the landmark musical debuted on Broadway in 2010, Ben Brantley of The New York Times called it “Brave and breath-taking. It is something much more than a feel-good musical; it is a feel-everything musical.” And Peter Marks of The Washington Post called it “a moving, blisteringly honest, and inordinately powerful new musical stocked with beautiful songs that get to the heart of the story – and simply get to the heart.” Next to Normal went on to win three Tony Awards, including Best Original Score, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, one of only 10 musicals in history to receive the prestigious honour.
Michael Longhurst, who directed Next To Normal in the UK says of the cinema screenings: ‘After the absolutely astonishing reaction to its US release, I’m so excited that UK audiences will now be able experience the raw power of Next to Normal and the heartbreaking detail of those incredible performances in close up, on the big screen.’
The theatrical proshot recording was filmed by Liberator Film Services during the show’s run at the Wyndham’s Theatre, in London’s West End, which ran from Tuesday 18 June 2024 to Saturday 21 September 2024. The recording was screened in the US on May 9 on PBS as part of their ‘Great Performances’ series.
Ghostlight Records release Next to Normal: Original London Cast Recording in streamed and digital formats on Friday 30th May 2025.
The Donmar Warehouse and Wyndham’s Theatre company comprised principals Caissie Levy (original Elsa in Frozen on Broadway, Caroline Or Change and Leopoldstadt) as Diana; Jamie Parker - Olivier Award-winner for his role as Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in London and on Broadway) as Dan; Jack Wolfe (nominated in the Emerging Talent category at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards for his role in Next To Normal at the Donmar Warehouse) star of Netflix series Shadow and Bone) as Gabe; Eleanor Worthington-Cox, whose credits include Jerusalem at Apollo Theatre, and the youngest winner of an Olivier Award for her lead role in Matilda The Musical) as Natalie; Trevor Dion Nicholas (Aladdin, West End and George Washington in Hamilton) as Dr. Madden /Dr. Fine and Jack Ofrecio (The Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare’s Globe) as Henry.
The London cast was completed by Carolyn Maitland as Standby Diana, Ben Heathcote as Standby Dan / Doctors, Jake Reynolds as Standby Gabe / Henry and Lizzy Parker as Standby Natalie.
The creative team was rounded out by Musical Supervisor Nigel Lilley; Designer Chloe Lamford; Movement, Choreography and Additional Direction Ann Yee; Lighting Designer Lee Curran; Sound Designer Tony Gayle; Video Designer Tal Rosner; Casting Director Anna Cooper CDG, Musical Director Nick Barstow and Production Manager Chris Hay.
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